Improvement in the construction of sewers



f 1. m. THOMPSON. The Construction of Sewers.

No.l54,728. Patented Sept.1,'l 874.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES MONROE THOMPSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,728, dated September 1, 1874; application filed February 3, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. THOMPSON, of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented Improvements in the Construction and "Operation of Sewers; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

The obj ect of my invention is to so construct a sewer on level ground, or ground slightly rising toward the discharge end of the sewer, that it can be cleaned or flushed throughout its length.

In constructing sewers, drains, and underground irrigating pipes through a level section of country,I construct the sewer or drain in sections, and give each section any required inclination, and then connect the lower end of each section with the highest end of the next section by means of a tube or pipe. 1 then employ a pipe or nozzle inside of the connecting-tube in the manner of an injector, through which water, steam, or air can be forced, in order to raise the sewage material from the lower end of one section into the upper end of the next one.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation. Fig. 2 is a side view.

A B C represent three sections of a sewer, dram, or irrigation pipe. These sections are constructed independently, as far as their inclination or angle is concerned-that is, as

long as the ground through which the sewer or drain is laid provides a natural fall the sewer is carried along with the desired fall; but when, by reason of the unevenness of the land, it becomes necessary to commence on a higher level in order to obtain a new angle or fall, I start another section upon the higher level, in the'manner shown in the drawing. I then either connect the lower end of the first section with the upper end of the second section by a metallic or other tube, d, or I build a connecting section, as at c, at the proper angle to connect their open ends. Either of these connections can'be employed according to convenience and cheapness of construction.

Now, it is evident that the sewage matter which flows into this sewer will flow down until it arrives at the lowest end'of each section. In order to clear the sections of the accumulated sewage I employ the injector principle by leading a pipe, f, down from the surface of the ground, and through the side of the sewer or tube 01, and at its end, inside of the tube, secure a nozzle, 9, which points toward the upper end of the tube. Either water, steam, or air can be forced through the tube and nozzle under pressure, so that it will produce a vacuum in the tube d, which will raise the sewage matter from one section and force it into another, as at d. When the sections of the sewer are connected by a short angular section, 0, a tube, d, will be secured in the bottom of the connecting section, the lower end of which is open to allow the sewage matter to enter its lower end, while the upper end is carried a short distance along the bottom of the upper end of the next section, as shown.

I prefer to carry the pipe f down under, and then up through the bottom of the sewer, so that the nozzle will stand in the lower end of the tube d, pointing toward the upper end of the tube. The sewage matter will then rise in the tube (1 as it accumulates in the section C, and, by turning on a pressure of steam, air, or water through the pipe, the sewage will be forced up the tube into the next section, thus utilizingthe weight of the accumulated sewage matter, as well as the force and suction of the stream under pressure.

This principle can be applied in a sewer at any point where it is desired to give an increased fall or inclination to a sewer without carrying it to an unusual depth, and whenever, by reason of the unevenness of the ground or want of fall, such section can be used to give a new and independent fall or inclination.

By the above method of constructing and operating sewers, drains, and underground tubes, water or sewage matter can be moved to any distance along level ground, and even where there is a slight elevation toward the discharge end.

By first turning on the stream of water, air, or steam at the end or last section, the accumulation of sewage in the second section will be raised and discharged into the discharge section before the next stream is let on, and when all of the streams are running at once a current is established which will effectually flush and clean the sewer. The streams are then shut ofl' toward the discharge ends eonsecutively, so that the entire accumulations are run out.

The sections can, if desired, be connected by other and higher pipes, to allow the escape of gases.

By turning on the streams once a week wherever the rise in the sewer occurs, the sewer can be cleaned and kept free. Instead of the injector tubes and nozzles, a pump or other lifting or forcing apparatus might be employed for raising the sewage or other matter from one section to another.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The improvement in the construction of sewers, drains, and underground conveyingpipes along level or uneven ground, the same consisting in constructing the sewer in sections having independent inclinations, and connecting the lower end of each section with the elevated end of the next section by pipes or; tubes, through which the water or other matter is raised from one section to another,

' substantially as above described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

JAMES MONROE THOMPSON. [n s] Witnesses:

JOHN L. Boom, (J. MILTON RICHARDSON. 

